Perry calls for tuition freeze, low-cost bachelor's

Published 6:30 am, Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Photo: Ralph Barrera, AP Photo/Austin American-Statesman

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Gov. Rick Perry stands with Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst after he addressed a joint house of legislators Tuesday. Perry declared there are "no sacred cows" in the strapped Texas budget, but he found a few hallowed programs that came close: the ones he uses to reward companies that expand or relocate to Texas. less

Gov. Rick Perry stands with Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst after he addressed a joint house of legislators Tuesday. Perry declared there are "no sacred cows" in the strapped Texas budget, but he found a few hallowed ... more

Photo: Ralph Barrera, AP Photo/Austin American-Statesman

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Rep. Dawnna Dukes, D-Austin, right, Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, left. and others give the Democratic response to the State of the State address at the Capitol in Austin.

Rep. Dawnna Dukes, D-Austin, right, Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, left. and others give the Democratic response to the State of the State address at the Capitol in Austin.

Photo: Jack Plunkett, AP

Perry calls for tuition freeze, low-cost bachelor's

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Gov. Rick Perry assured his fellow Texans Tuesday that the state of the state is strong, that a so-called "budget Armageddon" is overblown and that fiscal constraints offer an opportunity to streamline state government.

Delivering his sixth state of the state address to a joint session of the 82nd Legislature, Texas' longest-serving governor reprised familiar campaign themes — low taxes, lawsuit reform, a predictable regulatory environment, education accountability — and promised that tough choices facing lawmakers this session would not require passing new taxes or dipping into the state's rainy day fund.

"The core elements of our economy are strong, and Texas is still the envy of our nation," Perry said. "Our fiscal discipline and commitment to a job-friendly environment enable us to compete with those states that put a stronger emphasis on the expansion and extension of government than on the freedom and prosperity of their citizens."

His proposals to eliminate funding for some agencies and consolidating others would save the state about $50 million.

"If ever there was a time to truly reform our approach to governance and streamline our organization, it is now," Perry said. "Frank discussions about the true purpose of state government must be followed by a willingness to act on our convictions."

Not all on chopping block

Although he promised there would be no sacred cows among programs and agencies facing cuts, his own Texas Enterprise Fund should not be on the chopping block, Perry said, contending that it has helped create tens of thousands of jobs and has generated billions of dollars in capital investment.

He also called for renewed funding for the Texas Emerging Technology Fund, another program the governor's office administers. Perry has been accused of using the two funds to reward supporters.

"As the nation struggles to recover from the ongoing economic crisis, and states go head-to-head for new jobs, now is not the time for Texas to roll up our tents and go home," he said. "Instead, it's time to keep attracting good Texas jobs by funding our premier economic development tools like the Enterprise Fund, and the Emerging Technology Fund."

Perry's call not to touch the Rainy Day Fund, which currently has more than $9 billion, drew mixed reactions from his audience.

Rep. Beverley Woolley, R-Houston, said she liked the governor's message "that what we have to look at is spending before we start going into the Rainy Day Fund. Like any family savings account, you don't want to spend all your savings until you look to see if you have all your efficiencies. Tomorrow, there may be a bigger crisis."

Stresses core themes

But Rep. Garnet Coleman, D-Houston, rejected Perry's suggestion that critics and political opponents are dramatizing the state's budget shortfall and its impact on state services.

"It's not rhetoric to talk about grandmothers in nursing homes," Coleman said.

With higher education facing major funding cuts in preliminary budget proposals, the governor urged Texas colleges and universities to develop bachelor's degrees that cost no more than $10,000, including textbooks.

He also called for a four-year tuition freeze, locking in tuition rates at or below the freshman level for four years. Students at state colleges and universities pay upwards of $4,000 per semester, or $32,000 for an undergraduate degree.

He also urged lawmakers and educators to consider a concept called "outcomes-based funding," in which a significant percentage of undergraduate funding would be based on the number of degrees awarded.

"Texans deserve college graduation for their hard-earned tax dollars, not just college enrollment," he said.

Underscoring the core conservative themes that fueled his re-election campaign, Perry repeated his support for fast-track legislation that would require a woman to see sonogram images of her unborn fetus before getting an abortion.

He also called for toughening tort reform laws against frivolous lawsuits, including a "loser pays" component under which those who sue and lose would be required to pay the court costs and legal expenses of those they sued. He also proposed an "early dismissal" option for frivolous lawsuits.

Another proposal called for life without parole for certain repeat sex offenders, and requiring active GPS monitoring of high-risk offenders for three years after their release for prison.

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